The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-20
THE GEORGIA MAIDSTONE.
Used Successfully for Over 100 Years-How
1t Came Into the Gibson Family.


Used Successfully for Over 100 Years-How
1t Came Into the Gibson Family.
Atlanta Constitution.
The recent death of a man in Banks county
who had been bitten by mad dog has revived
interest in madstones of which there are sew
eral in various parts of the State. There is one
IN Falrburn which is said to have been success
fully applied to about one hundred persons. But
by all odds, the most notable stone in the South
is that owned by Mrs. L. W. Gibson. in Colum-
bla county. 1t derives interest not alone from
the wonderful cures which it has effected, but
from its antiquity and the manner in which it
came into possession of the family.
In l743 vessel from the East Indies touched
the coast of North Carolina. where the great
grandfather of Mrs. Gibson's husband lived at
the time. A passenger who was sick was put
Oh, and Mr.. Gibson took him to his home, where
the stranger was welcomed and nursed back to
nealtn. When about to take his departure he
took from his pocket two stones, one of which
ne presented to Mr.. Gibson. telling him that it
was OF great age, as he had been assured by the
gentleman from whom he procured it in Bonn.
Day that 1t possessed remarkable powers in all
cases OF D.ood poisoning, whether it resulted
from corroslon OF foreign substances, from the
bites of animals or insects of any description or
from incubation. Even in cases of smallpox.
said the stranger. the stone has been known to
extract the poison from the system. leaving the
patient thoroughly restored to health. The
stone was of grayish black color and perfectly
smooth It was one inch in length, three quar-
tiers of an inch in width and half an inch thick
The stranger disappeared, and the stone was
laid by as curiosity to remind the family of its
curious guest. No faith placed in its medic
inal qualities. 1t was not long, however, be-
fore an event happened which brought the stone
into high repute. A member of Mr.. Gibson's
family was bitten by rattlesnake. All known
remedies failed. The patient had passed into
paroxysms, and all hope had fed 1t was then
that one of the children thought of the myster-
ious stone. AS no harm could be done, it was
determined to use it. An incsion was made in
the patients leg one inch above the spot bitten.
and the stone inserted. As the stone adhered a
scream of unutterable anguish escaped the lips
of the sufferer, as if life itself was being drawn
out In less than one minute the stone
had changed its color from dark
pulled out and soaked in water and APP
piled again and again, its adhesive power grow
ing less and less until at last it refused to stick.
By this time the patient fell into heavy sleep,
only to awake to consciousness and restored
health He lived for thirty years after the event
happened It was thus that the stone. which
was only kept as a jest, became an object which
money could not buy. From all parts of the
coast there were calls for the wonderful stone
The family subsequently removed to Columbia
county, in this State, where for one hundred
years this stone has been object of curiosity
to physicians and people in general.
The recent history of this remarkable stone is
quite strange that of its earlier years, cur
ing the bites of mad dogs aud CATS the stings of
scorpions and snakes, and the incubation of
poisonous substances. III 1872 Abe Lockhart, a
colored man in Columbia county was bitten by a
pilot snake The stone was applied to the bite.
The wonderful part of tho story in that the man,
who had inherited scrofuia. was cured OF that
disease, and has had since return of the
malady. Seven years at,o Shack Green, who
lived nine miles away, was bitten by a rattle
snake. When found be was unconscious. He
was put into wagon and driven the nine
miles to the home of Mrs. Gibson. By
that time the victims leg had swollen
to three times its usual size. AS soon
as the stone was applied it affected the sufferer
precisely as it had its first subject. over a cen
tury before. A case which attracted widespread
attention, however, was that of Miss Williams,
who lived near the plantation of Gen. Rober,
Toombs in Wilkes county. In 1883 Miss W ill
Jams was inoculat from virus obtained from q
mad cow. Wheu the fact was discovered it sent
shock through the community. The lady's
friends at once resolved. TO use Mrs. Gibson's
warding off the anticipated danger. A strange
case, however was that of the two grandchi
dren of Mrs. McGinty, of Norwood who had
been bitten and scratched fearfully by a mad
cat. The stone was pplied to the two alter
nately. The children were taken to the house
by their two unces, " ho, sixty years before. haG
been themselves bitten by mad dogs and oweG
their rescue to the sam source
In fact there is ne rdly a community in The
Carolinas. Georgia and Alabama in which tht
fame of this renowned stone has not been heard
of. Frequently the ountry home of Mrs. Glib
son, at Appling. is SURF ounded by vehicles bear
ing the afflicted from distant points anxious t.
be restored to health.